All right. I have a confession to make. (I may have made it before, I can't really remember). I have never really liked the story of Samson. He was a judge with a problem. He was arrogant, angry, and antagonistic. (Oh yeah, three "A"s!) I have never understood why we tell this story to children!
BUT, I was reading his story last night and I decided to read the study notes at the bottom of the page... It appears that every other time (during the time of the judges) the people would be disobedient and God would allow an enemy to conquer them for awhile. The people would realize their sin, repent and call out to God. He would then send a judge who would help them to get out from the enemy's grasp.
Well, this time around, the Israelites had gotten so used to living under the Philistines rule, they didn't even bother to call out to God... They had become so used to the oppression, they just lived with it.
Then in comes Samson. Samson's job it seems, was to enrage the Philistines so that they would come down heavier on the Israelites, so that they would be come uncomfortable and call out to God for help.
And I have to say is, if that was his job, he was good at it. He killed 30 of them just because of a riddle, he killed a whole bunch of them with a fresh donkey jawbone. (And just as an aside, a "Fresh" donkey jawbone? Does that mean what I think it means? Did this jawbone have flesh hanging off of it? Did it stink? bugs crawling along the gum line? yuck! Again, Why do we teach this to our children?)
Anyway, Samson did (I suppose) ultimately redeem himself at the end of his life, although not enough to put him on my top 10 list of favorite biblical people, that's for sure.
L
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thursday, September 29, 2011
To the Siblings of Jesus
Dear James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and sisters,
I imagine you aren't used to getting a lot of attention, at least compared to your big brother. But I have to be honest;you fascinate me. What was your family life like? I wonder, what was it like having a truly perfect big brother?
Did you get tired of people saying, "Why can't you be more like Jesus"?
Did you roll your eyes and respond by saying "He's only my HALF brother."?
When you went to synagogue did the rabbis expect you to act just like him?
I know at least one of you became a follower of Jesus the Messiah. Was that weird? coming to the conclusion that your brother, the guy that you shared a room with was God? It had to have been a bit strange.
After you got saved, did you rethink every conversation you ever had with him? I would have..
There sure were a bunch of you... at least 7 kids in the family, from what I read..
Here's what I think it was like at the dinner table.:
Mary: (setting the veggie bowl in the middle of the table) Time to eat, everyone! (All nine people come running into the kitchen and squish around a table made for eight.)
Jane: Mom, Simon keeps bumping my chair! make him stop, Mom!
Mary: "Simon, stop bothering your sister. If you can't behave, I'll have to have Jesus sit between you." (Simon rolls his eyes, but stops bothering Jane.)
Mary: Joseph, I told you that you should have made this table a little longer. Do you think you could add a couple of feet to it?
Joseph: Yes dear. How many more feet do you want me to add? It already has four. (All the boys chuckle)
Mary: (Smiles tolerantly) and Joe, remember the twins need to start their carpentry lessons soon.
Twins: (they groan in unison) Do we have to?
James: (One of the twins) I want to be a fisherman!
Joe jr.: I want to be a tax collector!
Mary: Joe Jr. Don't you say such a thing! Both of you are going to learn your father's trade... just like Jesus did.
Twins: (Groan again)
Jill: Mom, you know, Jesus doesn't want to be carpenter forever. He has bigger plans, don't you Jesus? (All motion at the table stops.)
Judas: He wants to see the world, don't you, Jesus?
Joseph: Jesus, is this true?
Jesus: Aw, Dad. You know that I have to be about my father's... my other father's.... business.
Joseph: that again? Mary, do you hear what your son is saying?
Mary: yes, dear. Judas, pass the peas to your brothers, please.
Joseph: Mary! Did you hear... wait a minute. You knew this already, didn't you?
Mary: Yes, dear. For a long time. and so did you,
Joseph: humph. I'd rather forget all of that supernatural stuff. I'm telling you Jesus, you should just stay here in Nazareth, and work in the shop. It's safer here. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get yourself into out there in the world.
Mary: (Looks sternly at Joseph) Ahem.
Joseph: (quickly responds) but if you feel like that's what God wants you to do, who am I to stand in the way? Just visit your mother and me, every once in a while, okay, son? (squeezes his shoulder and walks out the door.)
Jane: Mom! Simon's doing it again! Make him stop!
Mary: Okay that's it, Simon!. Stop being so bad! Move to the next chair... Let Jesus take your place...
(Normal table craziness continues..and fades away.)
I imagine you aren't used to getting a lot of attention, at least compared to your big brother. But I have to be honest;you fascinate me. What was your family life like? I wonder, what was it like having a truly perfect big brother?
Did you get tired of people saying, "Why can't you be more like Jesus"?
Did you roll your eyes and respond by saying "He's only my HALF brother."?
When you went to synagogue did the rabbis expect you to act just like him?
I know at least one of you became a follower of Jesus the Messiah. Was that weird? coming to the conclusion that your brother, the guy that you shared a room with was God? It had to have been a bit strange.
After you got saved, did you rethink every conversation you ever had with him? I would have..
There sure were a bunch of you... at least 7 kids in the family, from what I read..
Here's what I think it was like at the dinner table.:
Mary: (setting the veggie bowl in the middle of the table) Time to eat, everyone! (All nine people come running into the kitchen and squish around a table made for eight.)
Jane: Mom, Simon keeps bumping my chair! make him stop, Mom!
Mary: "Simon, stop bothering your sister. If you can't behave, I'll have to have Jesus sit between you." (Simon rolls his eyes, but stops bothering Jane.)
Mary: Joseph, I told you that you should have made this table a little longer. Do you think you could add a couple of feet to it?
Joseph: Yes dear. How many more feet do you want me to add? It already has four. (All the boys chuckle)
Mary: (Smiles tolerantly) and Joe, remember the twins need to start their carpentry lessons soon.
Twins: (they groan in unison) Do we have to?
James: (One of the twins) I want to be a fisherman!
Joe jr.: I want to be a tax collector!
Mary: Joe Jr. Don't you say such a thing! Both of you are going to learn your father's trade... just like Jesus did.
Twins: (Groan again)
Jill: Mom, you know, Jesus doesn't want to be carpenter forever. He has bigger plans, don't you Jesus? (All motion at the table stops.)
Judas: He wants to see the world, don't you, Jesus?
Joseph: Jesus, is this true?
Jesus: Aw, Dad. You know that I have to be about my father's... my other father's.... business.
Joseph: that again? Mary, do you hear what your son is saying?
Mary: yes, dear. Judas, pass the peas to your brothers, please.
Joseph: Mary! Did you hear... wait a minute. You knew this already, didn't you?
Mary: Yes, dear. For a long time. and so did you,
Joseph: humph. I'd rather forget all of that supernatural stuff. I'm telling you Jesus, you should just stay here in Nazareth, and work in the shop. It's safer here. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get yourself into out there in the world.
Mary: (Looks sternly at Joseph) Ahem.
Joseph: (quickly responds) but if you feel like that's what God wants you to do, who am I to stand in the way? Just visit your mother and me, every once in a while, okay, son? (squeezes his shoulder and walks out the door.)
Jane: Mom! Simon's doing it again! Make him stop!
Mary: Okay that's it, Simon!. Stop being so bad! Move to the next chair... Let Jesus take your place...
(Normal table craziness continues..and fades away.)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
New Year's resolutions revisited
June 1st- We're getting close to the halfway mark in the year 2011. How are you doing on those resolutions that you made so many months ago?
I really only had two that I wrote down. The first one was to use the Wii fit program regularly and at least get more fit if not lose some weight. I did that until about six weeks ago. Not sure what happened, but I think I just got a bit discouraged. I kept losing and gaining the same two pounds.
The good news (ha ha, get it? Good News!) is that I completed my second resolution! I wanted to read the Bible completely in four months. It actually took me 4 1/2 months but I finished on May 15th. I loved reading it in it's entirety at a faster pace than I ever had before. the only negative was that I pretty much had to stop reading everything else for awhile!
My next step is to study some of the books in more depth. I was fascinated by how much of Isaiah is actually in the Gospels. It wasn't just the direct quotes from Jesus either. A lot of the Sermon on the Mount had ideas that were based on sections of the prophet's words.
Last week, I started comparing the Gospels and Isaiah, but got stuck on the first couple of verses in Isaiah. I had to go back to 2nd Chronicles and find out about Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezachiah because that's the time period that Isaiah prophesied. (yep, I'm getting distracted by the details again! :) )
Anyway, I'll work on that for a month or two and then I'm going to attempt the 4 month reading schedule again. Anyone want to join me?
L
I really only had two that I wrote down. The first one was to use the Wii fit program regularly and at least get more fit if not lose some weight. I did that until about six weeks ago. Not sure what happened, but I think I just got a bit discouraged. I kept losing and gaining the same two pounds.
The good news (ha ha, get it? Good News!) is that I completed my second resolution! I wanted to read the Bible completely in four months. It actually took me 4 1/2 months but I finished on May 15th. I loved reading it in it's entirety at a faster pace than I ever had before. the only negative was that I pretty much had to stop reading everything else for awhile!
My next step is to study some of the books in more depth. I was fascinated by how much of Isaiah is actually in the Gospels. It wasn't just the direct quotes from Jesus either. A lot of the Sermon on the Mount had ideas that were based on sections of the prophet's words.
Last week, I started comparing the Gospels and Isaiah, but got stuck on the first couple of verses in Isaiah. I had to go back to 2nd Chronicles and find out about Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezachiah because that's the time period that Isaiah prophesied. (yep, I'm getting distracted by the details again! :) )
Anyway, I'll work on that for a month or two and then I'm going to attempt the 4 month reading schedule again. Anyone want to join me?
L
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
My letter to Hannah
Dearest Hannah,
Every time I read your story in the Bible, I get very emotional. From the second verse, you have me hooked; "And he had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children."
I know that your greatest desire was to have children. It didn't help that Peninnah (the other wife) was a real jerk and teased you unmercifully,and it didn't matter that your hubby was totally in love with you and didn't care about you being childless. You wanted, no, more than that, you needed a child. You would do just about anything to have a child. Hence, your promise to God.
So here's my question, Hannah. when God gave you that child, did you struggle with honoring that promise? While you were pregnant with Samuel, did you know that the promise meant giving him up at such an early age? When he was born and you saw those perfect little toes and that fuzzy haired head, did you just for a moment, want to renig on that promise?
And when the time came to leave him with the priest Eli at the temple, did you hesitate? Did seeing how his own sons had turned out make you want to turn around and run for home?
And yet you left him there. You trusted God.
I love the fact that the Bible says that you visited him each year, bringing him a new robe. Did you ever want to just grab him and take him back home again? I can imagine those reunions; tears and smiles and family stories, trying to keep him connected to the family... because there was a family now. God had blessed you with three more sons and two daughters! They were your reward because you trusted God.
And because you did, Samuel grew up to be judge, priest, and prophet for a whole generation and beyond. He was an amazing man, Hannah. I'm sure you were proud, but in my mind, you are an even more amazing woman. Thank you for sacrificing the "growing up" years of your son, so that the world could learn, even thousands of years later, what it means to serve God.
Linda
Every time I read your story in the Bible, I get very emotional. From the second verse, you have me hooked; "And he had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children."
I know that your greatest desire was to have children. It didn't help that Peninnah (the other wife) was a real jerk and teased you unmercifully,and it didn't matter that your hubby was totally in love with you and didn't care about you being childless. You wanted, no, more than that, you needed a child. You would do just about anything to have a child. Hence, your promise to God.
So here's my question, Hannah. when God gave you that child, did you struggle with honoring that promise? While you were pregnant with Samuel, did you know that the promise meant giving him up at such an early age? When he was born and you saw those perfect little toes and that fuzzy haired head, did you just for a moment, want to renig on that promise?
And when the time came to leave him with the priest Eli at the temple, did you hesitate? Did seeing how his own sons had turned out make you want to turn around and run for home?
And yet you left him there. You trusted God.
I love the fact that the Bible says that you visited him each year, bringing him a new robe. Did you ever want to just grab him and take him back home again? I can imagine those reunions; tears and smiles and family stories, trying to keep him connected to the family... because there was a family now. God had blessed you with three more sons and two daughters! They were your reward because you trusted God.
And because you did, Samuel grew up to be judge, priest, and prophet for a whole generation and beyond. He was an amazing man, Hannah. I'm sure you were proud, but in my mind, you are an even more amazing woman. Thank you for sacrificing the "growing up" years of your son, so that the world could learn, even thousands of years later, what it means to serve God.
Linda
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